This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Obama's Kill List Policy Compels US Support for Israeli Attacks on Gaza

The US was once part of the international consensus against extra-judicial assassinations. Now it is a leader in that tactic.

By Glenn Greenwald

November 15, 2012 "The Guardian" -- Israel's escalating air attacks on Gaza follow the depressingly familiar pattern that shapes this conflict. Overwhelming Israeli force slaughters innocent Palestinians, including children, which is preceded (and followed) by far more limited rocket attacks into Israel which kill a much smaller number, rocket attacks which are triggered by various forms of Israeli provocations -- all of which, most crucially, takes place in the context of Israel's 45-year-old brutal occupation of the Palestinians (and, despite a "withdrawal" of troops, that includes Gaza, over which Israel continues to exercise extensive dominion). The debates over these episodes then follow an equally familiar pattern, strictly adhering to a decades-old script that, by design at this point, goes nowhere.

Meanwhile, most US media outlets are petrified of straying too far from pro-Israel orthodoxies. Time's Middle East correspondent Rania Abouzeid noted this morning on Twitter the typical template: "Just read report in major US paper about Gaza/Israel that put Israeli dead in 1st sentence. Palestinian in 6th paragraph." Or just consider the BBC's headline. Worse, this morning's New York Times editorial self-consciously drapes itself with pro-Israel caveats and completely ignores the extensive civilian deaths in Gaza before identifying this as one of the only flaws it could find with the lethal Israeli assault: "The action also threatens to divert attention from what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly described as Israel's biggest security threat: Iran's nuclear program."

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Bodies for Ballotsby: Yousef Munayyer

They say when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. But when you are a politician and all you have is a hammer, you must convince voters every problem looks like a nail. This is the only thinking that can explain Israel’s behavior in escalating bombardment of Gaza.

The Israeli spin machines are out in full force in the hopes of convincing Israelis and the rest of the world that the attacks on Gaza are in self-defense. But anyone following the situation closely and over time will tell you that cannot be the case.

Gaza is a tiny territory where 1.7 million Palestinians, most of whom are refugees, are denied the right to return to their homes simply because they are not Jewish. It is from this besieged territory that militants have fired mostly rudimentary projectiles at Israel. While Israeli officials are quick to rattle off the numbers of projectiles fired from Gaza, rarely do they tell you what they fire into Gaza, what the effects of this fire is and what the fallout from it is.

For example, in 2011, the projectiles fired by the Israeli military into Gaza have been responsible for the death of 108 Palestinians, of which 15 where women or children, and the injury of 468 Palestinians, of which 143 where women or children. The methods by which these causalities were inflicted by Israeli projectiles breaks down as follows: 57 percent, or 310, were caused by Israeli aircraft missile fire; 28 percent, or 150, where from Israeli live ammunition; 11 percent, or 59, were from Israeli tank shells; while another 3 percent, or 18, were from Israeli mortar fire.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Assassinating The Chance For Calmby: Gershon Baskin

Shortly after the return of Gilad Shalit, I drafted a proposal to the Government of Israel and Hamas to enter into a long term ceasefire arrangement based on the assumption that, for the time being, neither side was interested in engaging in renewed warfare. The assumption was well founded and based on the experience that I gained directly in helping to arrange a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza after the terrorist attack across the Sinai border in August 2011, while the Shalit negotiations were taking place.

Repeated rounds of rocket fire over the following year yielded the same results with both sides seeking a ladder to step down and avoid full escalation, which would not bring any political or military gains. Since that time, with the exception of the last round of violence two weeks ago, the rocket fire from Gaza was launched after a pre-emptive Israeli strike against terror cells. Based on Israeli intelligence information, pre-emptive strikes were conducted primarily against cells from the Islamic Jihad and the popular resistance committees. Hamas almost always sat on the sidelines and allowed the other factions in Gaza to shoot their rockets until the price in human life became too high. At that point, Hamas urged the Egyptians to intervene to secure a return to calm. In the last rounds, Hamas, under pressure from its public, joined in the shooting of rockets—but it almost always aimed its rockets at open spaces in Israel and their damage was minimal. It was clear to all involved that Hamas was not interested in escalating the situation and for its own reasons and agreed to impose the ceasefire on all of the other factions, and on itself.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Is Hamas responsible for Gaza rocket fire? Not exactly.

And there could well be more of it without them.

By Dan Murphy

Israel's air offensive on the Gaza Strip today is a response to rocket fire from the coastal Palestinian enclave. Hamas, which governs the strip, has borne the brunt of the assault. The action began with a missile that targeted Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari as he drove through Gaza City today (the IDF quickly shared a video of that attack) and was followed by dozens more.

Here's how Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren explained the Gaza strikes this afternoon: "The scope of the IDF's defensive operation depends on Hamas and whether it takes the decision to cease firing missiles on our homes."

But Hamas has not been the principal one firing the rockets at Israel, at least not lately. Other, smaller militant groups in Gaza like Islamic Jihad and the popular resistance committees in the strip do much of the shooting, though the Al Qassam Brigade that Mr. Jabari headed until his death has taken credit for some attacks in recent weeks.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Teacher, Children Among Slain as Gaza Toll RisesNo End in Sight as Civilians Feel Impact of Warby Jason Ditz

The death toll of the Israeli war against the Gaza Strip continues to rise today, with Israeli officials promising a protracted offensive and patting themselves on the back for doing so. And while the war started with the assassination of a Hamas military leader, the more recent deaths suggest the strikes are having a big impact on Gaza’s civilian population.

Israeli violence has left 24 dead and 200 wounded in Gaza. A total of three Israelis have died from rocket-fire coming out of Gaza.

Marwan Abu El Qumsan, a teacher at a UN school, is among the victims, and the UN has had to close its schools because of the growing attacks. Children were also the victims of Israeli attacks, including the 11-month-old son of BBC editor Jihad Misharawi.

Just hours before Israel assassinated Hamas commander Ahmed Jabari on Tuesday, he received the draft proposal of a permanent truce agreement with Israel. But Israel approved the airstrike anyways, choosing escalation over resolution.

Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin, who helped negotiate the release of Gilad Shalit and maintained contacts with Hamas leaders, said the truce agreement included protocols for maintaining a cease-fire in the case of cross-border violence between Israel and Gaza.

Baskin told Haaretz that senior officials in Israel knew about the pending truce agreement, but nevertheless approved the assassination, presumably knowing it would terminate the truce and escalate the conflict with Gaza.

Traditionally, when Israel launches a protracted military operation against the Gaza Strip, Egyptian officials have worked behind the scenes to negotiate ceasefires as quickly as possible, but have avoiding making any public comments critical of Israel’s war. Since the revolution, things have changed.

With the advent of elections in Egypt, popular outrage at Israeli offensives is now a political issue as well. While getting back to a tense ceasefire of some sort seems to be job one, Egypt’s leadership is struggling to balance their interests in improving their relationship with Gaza with keeping the Israeli treaty intact.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Do you think that Israel is the 51st state of the union that cannot be touched with criticism?

Quoting: Rebelucio

Please do not assume that all Americans support Israel.

Many, many of us do not. We are weary and fed up with that parasitic geopolitical entity that keeps dragging us into conflict.

Most Americans, however, do not understand the difference between general goodhearted fellow-feeling for Jewish people, as compared to blindly supporting the geopolitical entity called Israel.

Most Americans are at least nominally Christian, and confuse the Jewish people of the Bible with the modern citizens of Israel.

A lot of Americans picture modern Israelis in robes out tending their sheep under a date palm... with F-16s overhead.

In short, American opinion is based upon sentimentality, not geopolitics or history.

Quoting: goodmockingbird

I don't have any reason to assume that all Americans support Israel. I am an American, born and raised. I am commenting on the level of credence given to threads that support Israel on this site.

I understand what you're talking about with the rest of what you say, I don't necessarily believe it because most of my family supports Israel, and they know they're as developed as any other European country.

Tanks and armored vehicles poured into southern Israel today while busloads of soldiers were brought to the front, as a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, the first since early 2009, seems to be coming closer.

Air strikes have been a virtual constant against the tiny strip over the past day, with large numbers of civilian casualties and Israeli officials talking up the idea that the attacks are just the beginning.

Tanks and armored vehicles poured into southern Israel today while busloads of soldiers were brought to the front, as a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, the first since early 2009, seems to be coming closer.

Air strikes have been a virtual constant against the tiny strip over the past day, with large numbers of civilian casualties and Israeli officials talking up the idea that the attacks are just the beginning.

Are you that stupid?? Israel was getting hit with rockets from Gaza. That was the provocation for Israel's response.If Israel was left alone, they would not be bombing Gaza. Israel's superior Military power does not mean they are the agressors. They just have the ability to kick the crap out of the idiots dumb enough to pick a fight with them. They have the right to defend their land and use as much force as they feel is necessary.

[The scouts path is a double edge sword]"Know Thy Self""Thinking is but a movement of the past meeting the present""Only through discipline can one gain freedom""Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance"\Glutton for the truth/

Tanks and armored vehicles poured into southern Israel today while busloads of soldiers were brought to the front, as a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, the first since early 2009, seems to be coming closer.

Air strikes have been a virtual constant against the tiny strip over the past day, with large numbers of civilian casualties and Israeli officials talking up the idea that the attacks are just the beginning.

Are you that stupid?? Israel was getting hit with rockets from Gaza. That was the provocation for Israel's response.If Israel was left alone, they would not be bombing Gaza. Israel's superior Military power does not mean they are the agressors. They just have the ability to kick the crap out of the idiots dumb enough to pick a fight with them. They have the right to defend their land and use as much force as they feel is necessary.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1570311

Are you that dense? How about read some of the articles I posted and get the bigger picture here.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

we are getting some of those facts via msm.

like the fact israel killed three palestinian boys playing football in the days prior to their assassination of the hamas leader, who was negotiating scaling down of violence after hamas conducted a retaliatory attack on israeli soldiers.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Why do people want to skip over discussion on the other side of the issue? Do you not want your views challenged?

Do you think that Israel is the 51st state of the union that cannot be touched with criticism?

Just let me know what's going on in your heads, especially after reading an article or three of the rest of the story that has been missing for the past few days.

Quoting: Rebelucio

Here is the way I look at this situation::

Lets say I am a successful white guy living in the City, I moved to a neighborhood where I am the only white guy on the block, it is an all black neighborhood and they don't take kindly to the white man (they have been at war for over 2000 yrs.) After living there for a year I have had rocks thrown through my windows, my tires slashed, jumped and mugged and have racial comments directed at me on a daily basis (death to the white boy and shit like that). Now mind you, I have a full arsenal of weapons in my possession and can destroy all the blacks on my block in seconds. Now when I have had enough of the harassment and want to retaliate the blacks run home and hide in there closets while there family/children have to cover for them. The only way I can stop these fuckers from messing with me is to go into there homes after them. Unfortunately because they decided to hide in there homes, there are innocent civilian casualties. The black people on the block that don't have a problem with the white man, should not allow the bad black guys to hide in there homes. They should stand up and openly not condone this type of behavior and disband them from the block. Now if they do not do that, that makes me think that they do condone this behavior.

Hey I from New York and that is the best way I think I can come up with a comparison, not living in the Middle East.

Re: This is the other side of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict the MSM doesn't want you to see!

Why do people want to skip over discussion on the other side of the issue? Do you not want your views challenged?

Do you think that Israel is the 51st state of the union that cannot be touched with criticism?

Just let me know what's going on in your heads, especially after reading an article or three of the rest of the story that has been missing for the past few days.

Quoting: Rebelucio

Here is the way I look at this situation::

Lets say I am a successful white guy living in the City, I moved to a neighborhood where I am the only white guy on the block, it is an all black neighborhood and they don't take kindly to the white man (they have been at war for over 2000 yrs.) After living there for a year I have had rocks thrown through my windows, my tires slashed, jumped and mugged and have racial comments directed at me on a daily basis (death to the white boy and shit like that). Now mind you, I have a full arsenal of weapons in my possession and can destroy all the blacks on my block in seconds. Now when I have had enough of the harassment and want to retaliate the blacks run home and hide in there closets while there family/children have to cover for them. The only way I can stop these fuckers from messing with me is to go into there homes after them. Unfortunately because they decided to hide in there homes, there are innocent civilian casualties. The black people on the block that don't have a problem with the white man, should not allow the bad black guys to hide in there homes. They should stand up and openly not condone this type of behavior and disband them from the block. Now if they do not do that, that makes me think that they do condone this behavior.

Hey I from New York and that is the best way I think I can come up with a comparison, not living in the Middle East.